Air Handler Warms Attic During Winter Ice Dams

The snow layer traps warm beneath the snow which causes it to melt. Air handlers often create the unintended effect of letting excess heat flow from your living space into your attic. Aside from the very difficult access for monthly maintenance the low sloped roof eliminated air spaces above the furnace further increasing heat build up in the attic leading to snow melt and ice damming.

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The water that backs up behind the dam can leak into a home and cause damage to walls ceilings insulation and other areas.

Air handler warms attic during winter ice dams.

Here is a nice example. Ice dams usually start or worsen after a heavy snow because of snow s insulating properties. The attic temperatures eventually exceed the external temperatures increase the chances of ice dams. The ice traps meltwater which can seep back up under shingles and drip through the roof into your house causing all kinds of damage.

Moisture entering the home from ice dams can lead to the growth of mold and. The camera is looking towards the eaves. Proper air sealing and ceiling attic insulation can prevent warmth from escaping and causing ice dam issues. When hot air warms the soffit it warms the eaves just above the soffit as well and leads to ice dams.

The silver image at the top center of this photograph is a full sized natural gas fired forced hot air furnace. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow water from draining off the roof. It allows you to find the areas where you have heat leaks below the insulation. Another way to heat up your attic and another way to invite ice dams.

What if i already have an ice dam. Water running down the roof refreezes when it reaches the colder roof edge forming a mound of ice. The joints in the air handler cabinets usually aren t sealed very well either especially if it s an older model. Remember the example of the cold glass in the summer.

If it s winter and it s much colder outside as is often the case when that warm moist air comes in contact with the cold underside of your roof deck you get condensation. Infrared thermal imaging is not very useful to locate ice dams on the outside of the house but you can locate the problem by using such a camera on a cold winter day on the inside of the attic. Poorly sealed and improperly insulated ductwork and air vent lines in the attic can increase the attic temperature significantly by leaking hot air into space. First warm and moist air rises up from the living space below and gets trapped in your attic space.

Effects of ice dams. Ice dams can be removed professionally with a high powered steam machine in extreme cases. The best way to prevent ice dams is to ensure that the air in the attic or against the bottom of the roof deck doesn t get too warm. Ice dams develop after a heavy snowfall when warm air in the attic causes the roof to warm and the snow to melt.